SnowGlow: Sculptural Light at the Summit
High above Jackson, Wyoming, on the terrace of Snow King Mountain’s Aurora restaurant, a new permanent artwork now glows against the sky. SnowGlow, designed by artists Bland Hoke and Dan Sanford, merges steel, acrylic, and light into an atmospheric sculpture that feels just as rooted in the mountain as it does connected to the stars.
A Meeting of Minds
SnowGlow grew out of a creative partnership between two Jackson locals with complementary expertise. Bland Hoke, known for his bespoke multidisciplinary art installations and sculptures, was commissioned by Snow King Mountain to create the main art piece for their new summit building.
During the process of designing the art piece to transform the restaurant’s main wall behind the bar into an artistic topographical design, Hoke recognized the need for lighting expertise and brought on Dan Sanford.
Sanford, a lighting designer and VJ whose portfolio includes stages for Bonobo, Glitch Mob, and Big Wild, has shifted his focus toward permanent installations — exploring how light can transform a space and create atmosphere.
Together, they imagined SnowGlow as an artwork that would capture the spirit of the mountain itself, combining Hoke’s sculptural vision with Sanford’s expertise in programming light as an immersive medium.
Design That Echoes the Landscape
SnowGlow’s design is deeply tied to its surroundings:
- CNC-carved acrylic mimics the flowing geometry of Snow King’s ski slopes.
- Pixel LEDs edge-light each contour, animating the mountain’s rhythm through movement and color.
- A steel treeline in the foreground grounds the piece in the valley.
Together, the elements reflect both the physical gravity of the mountain and the brilliance of the night sky — linking Snow King to the stars above and Cache Creek below.
Building at Altitude
Of course, creating art at 8,000 feet came with a few surprises.
When the gondola went out of service during installation, Hoke and Sanford resorted to hauling cable up the mountain by bike.
Not an ideal scenario, but a story that now feels inseparable from the spirit of the piece: problem-solving, perseverance, and a sense of humor in the face of obstacles.
ENTTEC Technology at the Core
To make the sculpture’s light truly shine, Sanford turned to ENTTEC — gear he’s relied on for over a decade.
S-PLAY SP1-1
The brains of SnowGlow. This smart controller handles scheduled light shows and automated triggers, designed for permanent installations that need reliable, hands-off operation.
Pixelator Mini Mk2 (x2)
Compact powerhouses that convert up to 128 universes of Art-Net data each, ensuring smooth pixel control across the mountain sculpture’s flowing contours.
PLink Injectors (x14)
These compact satellites extend pixel data up to 300 meters without signal loss, keeping all 55 meters of LED tape perfectly synchronized despite harsh mountain conditions.
8PXA60-RGBW SPI Tape (55m)
Professional-grade RGBW strips delivering crisp whites and vibrant colors at 588.8 lumens per meter, designed to cut through Wyoming weather while maintaining perfect color accuracy.
ArtNet integration for seamless control
“The first ENTTEC gear I bought was about 10 years ago, and I’ve loved it ever since,”
That trust in reliability made ENTTEC the clear choice for a permanent installation exposed to the elements..”
Dan Sanford
Project/Lighting Designer
Collaboration Across Disciplines
- Project Designers: Bland Hoke & Dan Sanford
- Lighting Designer: Dan Sanford
- Cinematography: Ryan Brim
- Photography: Mark Riegel
SnowGlow’s success lies in that collaboration — sculpture and light working hand-in-hand, supported by technology built to last.
🎥 Experience SnowGlow on film:
Credits & Links
- SnowGlow by: Bland Hoke & Dan Sanford
- Cinematography by: Ryan Brim
- Photography by: Mark Riegel
- Venue: Aurora at Snow King Mountain